We are always saying that our hearts must always be "clean" and etc. But I'm very confused because isn't it our minds that control our thoughts and feelings? Why do we always mention the heart, rather than our mind?
Think about your being as an onion with many layers, with the spirit being the innermost layer and the social relationships a person has as the outermost layer:
Spirit/will/heart --> mind --> body --> social
The Spirit/Will/Heart (SWH) of a person is the inner core of being from which actions flow. Our SWH has the power to do what is good or evil. It’s the center of who we are and ultimately who we become. According to the Scriptures, this is what is enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:14-20), is desperately sick (Jer. 17:9), is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23), loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19), does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12), and cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). No matter how hard a person tries, she cannot change this state through a focus on external behavior (e.g. changing the way you dress/behave/talk; attending all sorts of programs, etc.). It is because the SWH is "bent away from God" and only "toward sin."
If, however, we put our faith and trust into Jesus, then Scripture declares that we are given a new SWH that is now responsive, alive and warm to God (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Our SWH - before faith in Christ - was "stone" (i.e. completely unresponsive, dead toward God). Consequently, we were "free" only to choose sin. When The Holy Spirit enters our being, we are given a new spirit (heart, will) that has the POWER to fight temptation and thus sin.
Let me illustrate with an example. You are confronted with a temptation to sin (e.g. your friends are talking badly about another friend behind her back). That’s when your spirit comes into play. In order for you to commit sin, your spirit/heart ("will") must say “yes” to that sin. If there is no inner yes, there is no sin. Even if you think about sin, that’s not a sin (that’s not even temptation!). Remember, temptation is the thought plus the inclination to sin. It's when you linger over the thought. Sin is when we inwardly say yes to the temptation; when we decide to do it.
Here's the connection between the mind and SWH ("the heart"). Your mind is the "processing center" of your being. Thought enter your mind; your SWH lingers over those thoughts and it commits to a course of action; and your body acts it out. This is why Paul tells us to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." (Romans 12:2). Elsewhere he tell us to ensure that we "take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). Why do we need to take every thought captive? Because thoughts can be influenced by Satan. The Devil is always scheming to fill your mind with thoughts which are oppose to God's plan (often, he uses the media and culture to do so). He plants ideas into your mind to lead you away from God. This is why its so crucial to "take every thought captive" and to "renew your mind" and to do focus upon godly things (Philippians 4:8). When we do so, it gives the Devil less of a chance to fill your mind with his thoughts; and thus it gives your SWH less of a chance to linger over sin. All your behavior flows out of your SWH; but it's your mind that feeds your SWH with what it decides upon.
Hope that was helpful. As a church, we need to strive for BOTH clean hearts and renewed minds - not one OR the other.
[Answered by Pastor HM]
